1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to object selection on a two dimensional display using a one-dimensional input device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The selection of an object on a two-dimensional display is one of the most important tasks in current graphical user interfaces. An input device is used to select an object among other objects on the display and then to activate the selected object. A two-dimensional input device such as a mouse or track ball is used to perform this task. The two-dimensional input devices allow manipulation of a pointer in both dimensions of the two dimensional space and allows accurate selection for a desk top user. However, manipulation of a pointer in two-dimensional space with a two dimensional input device is difficult during mobile use. Therefore, the two-dimensional input device is not adequate for manipulating a pointer on a two-dimensional display of a mobile users equipment such as a cell phone, a personal digital assistant or a head worn display.
Another two-dimensional input device comprises two separate one-dimensional adjustments such as a left/right button and up/down buttons. However this two-dimensional pointer means is also cumbersome for the user because the user must switch back and forth between the two adjustment mechanisms.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for performing selection of an object in a two-dimensional display for use with a mobile terminal.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for selecting an object in a two-dimensional display comprises specifying the distance of the object on the display from a reference location.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a device for selecting an object in a two dimensional display comprises a controller for increasing or decreasing a distance, i.e., radius, from a reference object.
Objects of interest are positioned a given distance from a reference location, such as the location of the mobile terminal. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a circle is used to show on the display of the mobile terminal the current selected distance from the reference location. Preferably the circle and the reference location are centered on the display. As the size of the selection circle is increased or decreased, objects which are at the current selected distance are highlighted on the display and a user may activate a selected object using an activation device such as a button or a switch.
If objects may are positioned at approximately the same distance from the reference location, objects are sorted by some criteria to give a unique value to each of the objects. One criteria may comprise the order of appearance of the objects. Accordingly, the logical distance order of each of the objects from the reference object is always unique.
When the selection circle approaches a selectable object, preferably the speed of charge at the radius of the selection circle is reduced. Therefore, the controller may optionally include a speed coefficient which decreases the speed radius change when an object is within a predefined distance of the selection circle. Alternatively, the controller-to-display ratio may be continuously adjusted according to the distance between an object closest to the selection circle perimeter selected distance.
When an object on the display is highlighted by the selection circle, the user may select the object by actuating a controller to access information about the selected object which is stored in a database in the mobile terminal, a database which is wirelessly connectable to the mobile terminal and/or on the internet.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.